If you are a small business and only doing business in your city and state, you are doomed. Small business is still a big contributor to the nation’s economy, generating 50 percent of the private, non-farm gross domestic product. But businesses that only do business in the US have declined every decade since the 1950s. What may surprise you is that small businesses make up 97 percent of exporters and produce 29 percent of all export value.
So while it is true that small business is still the main engine for the American economy, those who are not doing business overseas are slowly dying off.
Now you may think that expanding your business overseas is too daunting. However, opening an overseas branch or selling a product halfway around the world is now much easier with the Internet. Certainly a few years ago telephone bills for international calls would have consumed a good portion of profits or made the whole enterprise just too expensive to operate.
In 1995 a typical 5 minute call to China would have cost more than five dollars. Step in international VOIP. That same 5 minute call today can cost as low as 5 cents.
VOIP has entered the mainstream and there are now thousands of VOIP providers. Choosing the right one is critical. You want fair decent rates and you want to avoid hidden fees and charges (that is, you don’t want to be cheated). Aside from low rates, there are also many other things you will need to consider as well, such as the services they will provide. The provider you choose should have good technical assistance whenever you need it, so if you need to add an extra line, or have calls routed to a mobile phone or have any other questions, you can speak with a representative right away.
One thing that a small business will definitely want to consider when looking for a company is a good reputation. I suggest, at a minimum, a company that has been in operation for more than ten years and have ties to many different carriers, both domestically and abroad. Newer VOIP companies with few carriers can hardly offer wholesale VOIP services for a fraction of the normal cost.
The other major question to consider is: can the company handle thousands of calls at once, because if not, you will find your calls being dropped or the conversations so filled with static and noise as to be impossible to follow.
Check out their website, see if they have a fast and efficient system of communication set up which will help you keep your business moving along as smoothly as possible.
Now just connecting the call is only part of the equation. As I mentioned, the VOIP provider should have a broad range of services. For example, fraud prevention, billing options such as paying by credit card or PayPal account, pinless calling, online call detail management, etc.
About the Author
Bernard Golomb is an international prepaid phonecard consultant since 1994 and is currently a technology professional specializing in call center solutions.
Author: Bernard Golomb
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
portmeirion porcelain dinnerware, bakeware & accessories
Related posts:
